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Glite Dictionary
sentry duty

sentry duty

3 5.8
Standing guard at a place to watch for danger, usually in the military
  • noun
  • /ˈsɛntri ˈdjuːti/
  • Jargon
translation icon : servicio de centinela
  • Some of the others made sport of him for taking on sentry duty while they were still many days from the Nevan border, but he saw no reason not to establish a watchful routine early.
  • night sentry duty

Examples

  • The soldiers took turns performing sentry duty to ensure the camp was safe at night.

  • We seemed to always pull sentry duty together.

    In the Valley of Elah (2007)

  • Request permission to reduce sentry duty to 30-minute rotation.

    Die Hard 2 (1990)

  • He was supposed to be on sentry duty, and Barry had roared at him more than once about staying exactly where he was put.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • I considered asking Hu Moon to thaw out some icicle labor and have them stand sentry duty.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Day-and-night sentry duty with the band of sheep because of coyotes and the tough terrain amounted to.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • Standing alone on sentry duty, he scanned the horizon for any signs of enemy activity.

  • During sentry duty, the soldier remained vigilant, watching for any movement beyond the trees.

Synonyms

guard
vssentry duty
179 1.0

A time when someone watches and protects a place or people

is narrower focusing on formal military posted watch rather than general protection
guard duty
vssentry duty
11 3.3

A period when someone watches and protects a place, often at night

is used mainly for military situations rather than broader security roles
sentry go
vssentry duty
  • Archaic
9.7

A time when a soldier stands guard to watch a place

is identical in meaning but uses a different phrase form

How Active

patrol
253 3.2
sentry duty
  • Jargon
3 5.8
guard duty
11 3.3
lookout
29 2.7

Surface Forms

sentry duty singular
sentry duties plural

Morphology

sentry + duty

The meaning 'the duty of standing guard' is directly and compositionally derived from 'sentry' (a guard) + 'duty' (a responsibility). This noun+noun relational pattern is straightforward and common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

The noun sentry duty comes from the old job of a sentry — a guard who stands at a post and watches for danger, often for long hours. That's why sentry duty means 'the duty of standing guard'.